Rail-joint.



a J. MINER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1910.

997,404, Batenfied July 1.1, 19-11.

mmm 1| ungw I 1 a j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MINER, OF FERRY POINT, ALBERTA, CANADA.

RAIL-JOINT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES MINER, citizen of Canada, residing at Ferry Point, Alberta, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in rail joints, and the invention has for its object an improved device of this character that consists essentially of a particularly efficient chair by means of which the meeting ends of the rails are connected together without the use of bolts and are positively maintained in alinement.

A further object of the invention is a rail chair which obviates low joints in the track and thus eliminates the injurious and disagreeable noise caused by the wheels of the rolling stock pounding at the joint.

A still further object of the invention is a chair that extends over and is supported upon three cross ties so as to effect a maximum solidity of structure and to eliminate all possible rocking movement of the track.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features of in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a rail chair; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of invention hereinafter specifically referred to.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1910.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Serial No. 548,644.

edges with upstanding abutments or flanges- 3 the inner or opposing faces of which are preferably undercut so as to conform to the contour of and lie snugly against the opposite sides of the rails. The abutments are spaced apart sufiiciently to permit the rail ends to be inserted longitudinally therebetween. preferably terminate short of the ends of the base, as shown. By virtue of this ar- The abutments span the joint but rangement the rail ends are rigidly main-'- tained' in both vertical and horizontal alinement but are afforded suflicient longitudi-r nal play within the chair to compensate for expansion and contraction through exposure to the weather. It is to be notedthat the chair against vertical strain at this point;

From the bearing surface 4 the base has a gradual taper toward its ends, to provide oppositely-inclined bearing surfaces 5. The minimum thickness of the base is thus at the extremities thereof and such thickness bears a ratio of about one to four to the thickness of the middle portion of the base. The bearing surface 4 rests squarely upon the upper surface of a suitable cross tie 6, while the inclined bearing surfaces 5 of the base are supported upon cross ties 7 that are located on opposite sides of the tie 6. The cross-ties 7 project slightly upwardly above the middle tie, and have their upper faces suitably inclined to fit the bearing surfaces 5. By having the base extended over and supported structure is afforded and all possible rocking movement of the track is obviated. The tie 6 supports the chair below the joint as is of course desirable to insure against low joints,

and thus maintain a smooth track. Spikes 8 are driven into the ties 7 on opposite sides of the base to attach the latter to the former, the spikes being preferably received in recesses 9 formed in the base for the purpose of maintaining the same against possible longitudinal movement.

upon three cross ties, a maximum solidity of 1 In another embodiment of the invention the abutments 3 are cut relatively short and have substantially vertical inner faces as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This form of the device is designed for application to tracks that have already been laid and is capable of being slipped laterally into position beneath the meeting ends of the rails whereupon the latter may be moved vertically downwardly and be seated therein. The convenience with which this form of the invention may be applied to tracks already in use will thus be apparent.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that I have provided an improved rail chair which is quite efficient and reliable in use, which possesses to a marked degree the characteristics of simplicity, durability and strength, and which may be cast or otherwise formed of integral structure and is thus susceptible of being easily and cheaply manufactured.

The arrangement of the bearing surfaces at the lower face of the base plate is particularly advantageous. For instance, the inclined surfaces 5 abut against the cross ties 7 so as to hold the chair against any longitudinal creeping movement. Furthermore, if the tie 6 should sink in the roadbed, so that the chair is entirely supported on the ties 7, the oppositely inclined bearing surfaces 5 would tend to wedge the ties 7 apart, whereby to permit the chair to be slightly lowered to again rest upon the tie 6. It will therefore be noted that the chair is at all times firmly supported beneath the rail oint.

Having thus described the invention, whatis claimed as new is In a rail joint, the combination with three cross ties, the middle one of each is depressed, and companion rail sections meeting above the middle tie, of a base plate extending over and between all of said ties and having a flat upper face supporting the rail sections, the base plate being tapered toward its extremities to provide three bearing surfaces at its lower face, the intermediate bearing surface being substantially parallel to the upper face of the base plate and being supported upon the middle cross tie, and the other bearing surfaces being oppositely inclined and resting upon the remaining cross ties, side flanges integral with and upstanding from the base plate and abutting against opposite sides of the rail sections, the flanges terminating in spaced relation to the extremities of the base plate, and spikes embedded in the extreme cross ties and engag ing the extremities of the base plate.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MINER. [L. s]

itnesses S. T. IVETTERBERG, K. O. EGGEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

